chemical engineering research and design 9 2 ( 2 0 1 4 ) 119–126

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Chemical Engineering Research and Design

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/cherd

Floating pinch method for utility targeting in heat

exchanger network (HEN)

Yin Ling Tan a,∗ , Denny K.S. Ng b , Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi c,d , Dominic C.Y. Foo b ,
Yudi Samyudia a
a Chemical Engineering Department, Curtin University, Sarawak Campus, CDT 250, 98009 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia
b Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering/Centre Excellence for Green Technologies, The University of Nottingham,
Malaysia Campus, Broga Road, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
c Chemical Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
d King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

a b s t r a c t

Most of the established methods for utility targeting in a heat exchanger network (HEN) are mainly focusing on fixed
stream conditions, where the flow rate, heat capacity, supply and target temperatures are fixed. However, in the
process industries, the stream conditions (flow rates and temperatures) are not fixed. Therefore, the established HEN
targeting methods cannot be directly applied to locate the hot and cold utility targets for HEN problem with varying
flow rates and temperatures. To address this issue, a revised floating pinch method which uses binary variables
to parameterise the stream locations on the composite curves, is presented in this work to identify the minimum
utilities targets. The revised method simplify the earlier version of floating pinch method presented by Duran and
Grossmann (1986) by avoiding the non-differentiability in the mathematical program. Two cases, one with fixed
parameters while another with temperature-dependent properties and varying operating parameters are solved to
illustrate the revised model.
© 2013 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Process integration; Heat exchanger network; Targeting; Optimisation

1. Introduction also the reduction of the computational expensive exercise.

Over the past few decades, synthesis of heat exchanger
networks (HENs) has been an active area of research. Huge
amount of research works have been presented in this area.
Several good reviews on synthesis of HENs are available, such
as Linnhoff et al. (1982), Gundersen and Naess (1988), Linnhoff
(1993), Shenoy (1995) as well as Furman and Sahinidis (2002).
Most of the contributions for synthesis of HEN can be classi-
fied as sequential and simultaneous approaches. The former
divides the synthesis problem into two sub-problems, i.e. tar-
geting (to determine various network targets, e.g. minimum
utility, number of heat exchanger units, area/capital cost of
the network), followed by the design of HEN. The advantage of
this approach is the location of targets ahead of design, and
On the other hand, most simultaneous synthesis techniques
primarily determine the optimal HEN structure through mixed
integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) formulation.
Sequential synthesis approach can further be divided into
two subcategories (i) insight-based pinch analysis techniques
such as heat transfer composite curves (Hohmann, 1971;
Umeda et al., 1978, 1979), problem table algorithm (Linnhoff
and Flower, 1978a,b), pinch design method (Linnhoff and
Hindmarsh, 1983; Ahmad et al., 1990; Linnhoff and Ahmad,
1990; Linnhoff, 1993), dual temperature (Trivedi et al., 1989a)
and pseudo-pinch methods (Rev and Fonyo, 1986a,b; Trivedi
et al., 1989b; Wood et al., 1991) and (ii) mathematical program-
ming techniques (Cerda et al., 1983; Papoulias and Grossmann,
1983; Floudas et al., 1986; Galli and Cerda, 1998a,b,c; Ježowski

∗
Corresponding author. Tel.: +60 85 443833; fax: +60 85 443837.
E-mail addresses: tan.yin.ling@curtin.edu.my (Y.L. Tan), Denny.Ng@nottingham.edu.my (D.K.S. Ng), el-halwagi@tamu.edu
(M.M. El-Halwagi), Dominic.Foo@nottingham.edu.my (D.C.Y. Foo), yudi.samyudia@curtin.edu.my (Y. Samyudia).
Received 14 January 2013; Received in revised form 14 June 2013; Accepted 25 June 2013
0263-8762/$ – see front matter © 2013 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2013.06.029
120 chemical engineering research and design 9 2 ( 2 0 1 4 ) 119–126
and Friedler, 1992; Suaysompol and Wood, 1991). The follow-
ing section mainly focuses on reviewing the minimum utility
targeting problem with sequential synthesis approach.
Two important linear programming (LP) methods for the
minimum utility cost target are the transportation (Cerda et al.,
1983) and transhipment models (Papoulias and Grossmann,
1983). The transportation model incorporates match restric-
tions, multiple utilities and utilities available over a range of
temperatures in the formulation (Cerda et al., 1983); while the
transhipment model can handle unrestricted and restricted
matches as well as identify the pinch point of the problem
(Papoulias and Grossmann, 1983). Ježowski and Friedler (1992)
extended the transhipment model (Papoulias and Grossmann,
1983) for multiple utilities and forbidden matches. Further-
more, the authors extended the dual temperature approach
method (an insight-based approach) for problems with for-
bidden matches to further enhance energy recovery in the
HEN. On the other hand, Galli and Cerda (1998b,c) formulated
mixed integer linear programming (MILP) and MINLP (Galli
and Cerda, 1998a) models that allow additional structural
constraints in targeting for minimum utility cost.
In many process synthesis and optimisation problems, flow
rates and temperatures of the process streams are unknown.
Therefore, extraction of limiting data for HEN synthesis before
process flowsheet is synthesised is extremely challenging due
to the strong interaction between the process flowsheet and
HEN. In most previous works, sequential approach is adopted,
where the non-integrated process flowsheet is first synthe-
sised (in which flow rates and temperatures of the process
streams are determined); followed by HEN synthesis. However,
this approach may not achieve an overall optimum design,
as it does not take in account trade-off of the capital invest-
ment and operating cost (such as raw material utilisation
and energy consumption) between the process flowsheet and
HEN.
To overcome this limitation, Duran and Grossmann (1986)
established a floating pinch method that simultaneously opti-
mise the process flow sheet with heat integration. Based on
the previous work, the minimum hot and cold utilities tar-
gets for the synthesised flow sheet can be determined. The
flow rates and temperatures of process streams are taken as
optimisation variables. According to Duran and Grossmann
(1986), the floating pinch method is used to postulate a set
of pinch point candidates based on the inlet temperatures of
the hot and cold streams. Constraints are then developed for
each of the postulated pinch point candidates, which will then
identify the true pinch point and also the minimum hot and
cold utilities. However, the main drawback of this targeting
approach is that, maximum operators are used to parame-
terise the stream locations on the energy composite curves.
This causes non-differentiability in the mathematical pro-
gram and thus a special non-smooth optimisation algorithm
is required to solve it.
On the other hand, El-Halwagi and Manousiouthakis (1990)
presented a systematic procedure for synthesis of mass
exchanger and regeneration networks. The presented pro-
cedure is divided into two stages which are targeting and
network design. In the targeting stage, floating pinch method
is adapted to identify the minimum cost of mass-separating
and regeneration agents. Note that the aproach is able to over-
come the limitation of early version floating pinch method
(Duran and Grossmann, 1986) as binary variables are used
to parameterise the stream locations on the mass composite
curves.
In this work, a revised floating pinch method which
originally developed for mass exchanger network synthesis
(El-Halwagi and Manousiouthakis, 1990) is extended for utility
targeting in the HEN. Note that this revised method is different
from the simultaneous HEN synthesis approaches that utilise
flexibility analysis methods to analyze the feasibility of the
HEN design within the range of flow rates and temperatures
(Duran and Grossmann, 1986; Floudas and Grossmann, 1987;
Galli and Cerda, 1991; Aguilera and Nasini, 1995, 1996; Chen
and Hung, 2004). Instead, this method is based on the targeting
concept of classical pinch analysis technique, which identifies
utility targets prior to detailed design of HEN. It identifies the
optimal flow rates and temperatures (from the given range) to
achieve minimum utility targets.
It is noted that the revised floating pinch method and
the previous work of El-Halwagi and Manousiouthakis (1990)
are based on the same concept of composite curves; how-
ever, they are applied for different areas. Note also that
there are some differences between the two works, where
El-Halwagi and Manousiouthakis (1990) is focusing on tar-
geting for MEN, while this work is applied for HEN. In MEN,
only one type of utilities (external MSAs) is available and
the approach is used to locate the minimum flowrate of
MSAs. The process MSAs can provide an excess capacity above
the pinch. This excess capacity can be removed by lowering
the flowrates or outlet compositions of the process MSAs.
On the other hand, for the HEN, two types of utilities (hot
and cold) are required to fulfill the process requirements. In
this work, both hot and cold utilities targets can be deter-
mined simultaneously. Besides, the concept of HEN is slightly
different from MEN, where it requires heating utility above
the pinch and not removing excess load above the pinch
(in the case of MEN). Once the targets are located, the HEN
can then be designed using the classical pinch design method
(PDM) (Smith, 2005; Linnhoff and Flower, 1978a; Linnhoff
et al., 1982), based on the targeted flow rates and tempera-
tures.
Note also that the proposed approach is much simpler and
less computational expensive as compared to previous work
(Duran and Grossmann, 1986). The model presented by Duran
and Grossmann (1986) are superstructure optimisation with
heat integration targeting which is different from this work.
This work is based on the targeting concept of pinch which
allows utility targets to be set prior to network design. This
model mainly focuses on targeting the minimum hot and cold
utilities for HEN problem where flowrates as well as the inlet
and outlet temperatures of the process streams are known
within a certain range.
In the following sections, the problem statement is out-
lined. The concept of the floating pinch method is first
explained. The revised floating pinch method is then pre-
sented. Two case studies are then solved to illustrate the
proposed model.
2. Problem statement
The problem addressed in this paper is stated as follows:
Given NHOT of hot streams that need to be cooled and
NCOLD of cold streams that need to be heated. Each hot stream
h and cold stream c has fixed or acceptable range of flow rate,
supply and target temperature, given as in Eqs. (1)–(6).
mmin
h ≤ mh ≤ mmax
h
h ∈ NHOT (1)
 chemical engineering research and design 9 2 ( 2 0 1 4 ) 119–126 121

Temperature Temperature Temperature

Enthalpy Enthalpy Enthalpy

(a) (b) (c)

Fig. 1 – (a) Hot and cold composite curves. (b) Shifted hot and cold composite curves at true pinch point. (c) Infeasible hot
and cold composite curves.

mmin
c ≤ mc ≤ mmax
c c ∈ NCOLD (2) utility). To minimise the external hot and cold utilities, no
energy should be transferred across the pinch (Smith, 2005).
min
Th,in max
≤ Th,in ≤ Th,in h ∈ NHOT (3) Hence, the true pinch point divides the composite curves
into two regions, a heat source and a heat sink. The energy
min max balance for both regions must also be satisfied.
Tc,in ≤ Tc,in ≤ Tc,in c ∈ NCOLD (4)
3. To ensure feasible heat transfer, the hot composite curve
min max
must always stay above the cold composite curve, with both
Th,out ≤ Th,out ≤ Th,out h ∈ NHOT (5)
composite curves touching only at the true pinch point.
4. If the composite curves touch at any potential pinch can-
min max
Tc,out ≤ Tc,out ≤ Tc,out c ∈ NCOLD (6) didates other than the true pinch point (Fig. 1(c)), some
portions of the hot composite curve may lie below the cold
where mminh
, mmax
h
, mmin
c , mmax
c are the respective lower and composite curve in the same temperature range. For such
upper bounds of the allowable flow rate for hot stream h and situation, energy transfer between the composite curves is
min , T max , T min T max , T min , T max , T min
cold stream c, while Th,in h,in c,in c,in h,out h,out c,out thermodynamically infeasible.
max
and Tc,out refer to the lower and upper bounds of the supply
and target temperature for hot stream h and cold stream c,
According to the floating pinch concept, all inlet tempera-
respectively. The heat capacity for each hot stream h and cold
tures of hot and cold streams are potential pinch candidates.
stream c can be either constant or temperature dependent. In
To identify the true pinch point which will lead to the min-
addition, external hot and cold utilities are available to fulfill
imum hot and cold utilities targets, a set of constraints are
the process requirement after energy recovery between the
developed for each of the potential pinch point candidates.
hot and cold streams is maximised. The overall objective is
to locate the minimum external hot (Qh ) and cold (Qc ) utility
targets in a HEN. 4. Mathematical model for HEN floating
pinch
3. Concept of HEN floating pinch method
The HEN floating pinch mathematical model is developed
To understand the concept of floating pinch method, an under- based on the HEN floating pinch concept explained in the
standing of the heat transfer composite curves is needed. As previous section. The supply and target temperatures of the
shown in Fig. 1(a), the hot and cold composite curves are hot and cold streams from fresh resource r and source i to
merged by individual streams via linear superposition, and sink j are first shifted by subtracting Tmin /2 for hot streams;
plotted on a temperature versus enthalpy diagram. These while adding Tmin /2 for cold streams. These temperatures
curves are then brought together via horizontal displacement are given by the equations as follows:
until they reach a minimum temperature difference (Tmin ).
The vertical overlapping region between the two composite Tmin
Ths = Thin − (7)
curves shows the energy recovery from the hot streams to the 2
cold streams (Smith, 2005).
Tmin
If both composite curves are shifted vertically (such that Tht = Thout − (8)
2
hot composite curve is Tmin /2 cooler; and cold composite is
Tmin /2 hotter) until they touch at the true pinch point, as
Tmin
shown in Fig. 1(b), one can observe the following: Tcs = Tcin + (9)
2

1. The potential pinch candidate(s) are those corner points on Tmin

Tct = Tcout + (10)
the composite curves that correspond to the inlet temper- 2
atures of any hot and cold streams.
2. The total energy balance for the HEN must always be where Thin , Thout , Tcin and Tcout are the actual supply and target
achieved (total heat removal of the hot streams and that temperatures of the hot and cold streams, while Ths , Tht , Tcs and
supplied by the external hot utility should equal to the total Tct are the shifted supply and target temperatures of the hot
heat gained by the cold streams and that of external cold and cold streams in HEN, respectively.
122 chemical engineering research and design 9 2 ( 2 0 1 4 ) 119–126

Table 1 – Limiting data for Case Study 1.

Hot stream Supply temperature, Target temperature, Heat capacity flowrate,
Thin (◦ C) Thout (◦ C) mh · Cph (mW K−1 )

H1 250 40 0.15
H2 200 80 0.25

Cold stream Supply temperature, Target temperature, Heat capacity flow rate,
Tcin (◦ C) Tcout (◦ C) mc · Cpc (mW K−1 )

C3 20 180 0.20
C4 140 230 0.30

The potential pinch candidate, Tq corresponds to the where mh , mc , Cph and Cpc are the flow rate and spe-
inlet temperatures of the hot and cold streams (Duran and cific heat capacities for hot stream h and cold stream
Grossmann, 1986), c in HEN,
 respectively. Note that the second
term in
 
⎧ Eq. (16) s (T − T s ) −  t (T − T t )
mc Cpc c,q q c c,q q c show
⎨ Ts h ∈ NHOT c ∈ NCOLD
h
Tq = c ∈ NCOLD (11) the heat gained by cold stream c above the poten-
⎩ Tcs
q ∈ NPINCH tial
 pinch point; while the third term of
the equation
  
t
mh Cph ˇh,q (Tq − Tht ) − ˇh,q
s
(Tq − Ths ) show the heat
To identify the true pinch point and to ensure thermo-
h ∈ NHOT
dynamic feasibility, the total energy balance is to be used lost by hot stream h above a potential pinch candidate q.
together with energy balance above or below the pinch point Let us consider the following three cases where all possible
candidate. Stream location parameterisation is needed in locations of cold stream with respect to the pinch point are
order to determine the energy balance above or below the considered, to demonstrate how Eq. (16) measures the energy
pinch point candidates. In the floating pinch approach for above the pinch candidate.
HEN presented by Duran and Grossmann (1986), the authors
used maximum operators to parameterise the stream loca-
1. Case 1 – cold stream c appears completely above the poten-
tions. However, this approach causes non-differentiability in
tial pinch point q. Eqs. (14) and (15) determine that integer
the mathematical program and thus a special non-smooth
s and  t are equal to 1. Thus, heat load of cold stream
c,q
optimisation algorithm is required to solve it. In this work, c,q
c above the potential pinch point is given by mc Cpc {(Tq −
binary variables are used to parameterise the stream loca-
Tcs ) − (Tq − Tct )} = mc Cpc (Tct − Tcs ).
tions, following the floating pinch method for mass exchange
2. Case 2 – cold stream c lies across a potential pinch point q
network (El-Halwagi and Manousiouthakis, 1990).
as that Tcs is below Tq while Tct is above Tq . Based on Eqs. (14)
The binary variables used to parameterise the stream loca-
and (15), c,qs = 0 and  t = 1. Therefore, heat load of cold
tions in order to determine the energy balance above the pinch c,q
stream c above the potential pinch point is calculated by
point candidates are given by the constraints in Eqs. (12)–(15).
mc Cpc (Tct − Tq ).
 3. Case 3 – cold stream c appears completely below the poten-
1 if Tht > Tq h ∈ NHOT s and
t
ˇh,q = (12) tial pinch point q. Eqs. (14) and (15) next define both c,q
s as zero. As a result, no heat is received by cold stream
c,q
0 if Tht ≤ Tq h ∈ NHOT
c above the potential pinch point.

1 if Ths > Tq h ∈ NHOT
s
ˇh,q = (13) Optionally, one can choose to use the energy balance below
0 if Ths ≤ Tq q ∈ NPINCH the pinch point candidate by using the constraints in Eqs.
(17)–(20).

1 if Tct > Tq c ∈ NCOLD
t
c,q = (14)

1 if Tht < Tq h ∈ NHOT
0 if Tct ≤ Tq q ∈ NPINCH th,q = (17)
0 if Tht ≥Tq q ∈ NPINCH

1 if Tcs > Tq c ∈ NCOLD 
s
c,q = (15) 1 if Ths < Tq h ∈ NHOT
0 if Tcs ≤ Tq q ∈ NPINCH sh,q = (18)
0 if Ths ≥Tq q ∈ NPINCH
t s t and  s are the binary integer.
where ˇh,q , ˇh,q , c,q c,q 
The energy balance above the pinch point candidate is 1 if Tct < Tq c ∈ NCOLD
expressed as: tc,q = (19)
0 if Tct ≥Tq q ∈ NPINCH

Qh ≥ s
mc Cpc {c,q (Tq − Tcs ) − c,q
t
(Tq − Tct )} 
1 if Tcs < Tq c ∈ NCOLD
c ∈ NCOLD
sc,q = (20)
 0 if Tcs ≥Tq q ∈ NPINCH
t
− mh Cph {ˇh,q (Tq − Tht ) − ˇh,q
s
(Tq − Ths )} q ∈ NPINCH
h ∈ NHOT
(16) where th,q , sh,q , tc,q and sc,q are the binary integer variables.
 chemical engineering research and design 9 2 ( 2 0 1 4 ) 119–126 123

Eq. (21) shows the energy balance below the pinch point

Mole fraction
candidate.

of phenol


0.005
0.002
0.060
0.022
Qc ≥ mh Cph {th,q (Tq − Tht ) − sh,q (Tq − Ths )}
h ∈ NHOT

− mc Cpc {sc,q (Tq − Tcs ) − tc,q (Tq − Tct )} q ∈ NPINCH
c ∈ NCOLD

Mole fraction
(21)

of water

0.995
0.998
0.940
0.978
To demonstrate the usefulness of Eq. (21), let us consider
the following situations where all possible locations of hot
stream (with respect to the pinch point) are considered.

Maximum flow
rate, mmax (g/s)
1. Case 1 – hot stream h lies completely above the potential
pinch point q. Based on Eqs. (17) and (18), integer sh,q and

20
20
10
20
th,q are set to zero. Thus, heat lost by hot stream h below
the potential pinch point is zero.
2. Case 2 – hot stream h appears completely below the poten-
tial pinch point q. Eqs. (17) and (18) next determine that
sh,q = th,q = 1. As a result, heat lost by hot stream h below

Minimum flow
rate, mmin (g/s)
the potential pinch point is given by Eq. (21) that follows:

10
10
5
15
mh Cph {(Tq − Tht ) − (Tq − Ths )} = mh Cph (Ths − Tht )

which shows the correct expression.

3. Case 3 – hot stream h lies across a potential pinch point q,
which means that Ths is above Tq while Tht is below Tq . Eqs.
(17) and (18) determine that sh,q = 0 and th,q = 1. Therefore,
Maximum target
temperature (◦ C)
heat lost by hot stream h below the potential pinch point is
given as mh Cph (Tq − Tht ).

45
65
120
225
The total energy balance is expressed as:

 
mh Cph (Ths − Tht ) − mc Cpc (Tst − Tss ) + Qh − Qc = 0
h ∈ NHOT c ∈ NCOLD
temperature (◦ C)

(22)
Minimum target

35
55
110
215

Note that one should use the total energy balance (Eq. (22))
together with either energy balance above the pinch point can-
didate (Eq. (16)) with the respective constraints (Eqs. (12)–(15))
or energy balance below the pinch point candidate (Eq. (21))
with the respective constraints (Eqs. (17)–(20)) to identify the
Maximum supply

true pinch point and the minimum hot and cold utilities of a
temperature (◦ C)

given problem.
165
85
55
85

5. Case studies
Table 2 – Limiting data for Case Study 2.

To demonstrate the applicability of the HEN floating pinch

method, two case studies are solved and presented in the
following section. All case studies are solved using Extended
LINGO v11.0 with Global Solver and Tmin is taken as 10 ◦ C.
Minimum supply
temperature (◦ C)

5.1. Case Study 1

150
75
45
75

Case Study 1 is taken from Smith (2005), which consists of two

hot streams and two cold streams. Table 1 shows the limiting
data for this case study. The optimisation objective of this case
study is to minimise the hot utility in HEN and is given as
Stream

follows:
H1
H2
C3
C4

min = Qh (23)
124 chemical engineering research and design 9 2 ( 2 0 1 4 ) 119–126

Fig. 2 – Composite curves for Case Study 1.

Solving Eq. (23) subject to the constraints in Eqs. (7)–(16) and 10 ≤ mh2 ≤ 20 (25)
(22), Qh and Qc are reported as 7.5 kW and 10 kW, respectively,
which match the results obtained via pinch analysis in Smith
(2005). The composite curves of this case study are shown in 5 ≤ mc1 ≤ 10 (26)
Fig. 2, with the hot and cold pinch points located at 140 ◦ C and
150 ◦ C, respectively.
15 ≤ mc2 ≤ 20 (27)

5.2. Case Study 2

In this case study, heat capacities of the process streams
Case Study 2 involves a HEN problem for a process that can be determined with Eq. (28) (Shenoy, 1995):
involves phenol and water in the process streams. The limiting
data is given in Table 2. Note that both hot and cold streams 
operate within a range of flow rate. To include the operat- Cp = xk Cpk (28)
ing ranges in the model, additional constraints are added as k ∈ NCOMP

follows:
where xk is the mole fraction of component k and heat capac-
10 ≤ mh1 ≤ 20 (24) ity (Cpk ) for each component k can be determined using

Fig. 3 – Composite curves for Case Study 2.

 chemical engineering research and design 9 2 ( 2 0 1 4 ) 119–126
165ºC 85ºC
o
78.88 C
H1 C 35 C
3.421kW
º
85 C 65ºC
H2 C 0.085
1.703kW
o
110 C 45ºC
o 0.725kW 0.622kW
215 C
H C2
4.307kW 5.743kW
155ºC 75ºC
Fig. 4 – HEN for Case Study 2.
Eq. (29) (Shenoy, 1995). Note that the heat capacity values are
temperature-dependence.
Cpk = ak + bk T k ∈ NCOMP
where ak and bk are parameters in linearised temperature-
dependent expression for heat capacity of each component
k. Since this case study involves a binary system with phe-
nol and water, a and b parameters for phenol are taken as
0.4685 J/(g K) and 0.0044 J/(g K2 ) while a and b parameters for
water are1.3724 J/(g K) and 0.0083 J/(g K2 ), respectively.
In this case study, the same optimisation objective in Case
Study 1 is used. Eq. (23) is solved subject to constraints in
Eqs. (7)–(16), (22) and (24)–(29). The optimisation result shows
that the case study required Qh and Qc of 5.07 kW and 4.3 kW,
respectively. To further verify these results, the optimal flow
rates and temperatures obtained in the optimisation model
(shown in Fig. 4) are used to synthesis the composite curves
(Fig. 3) and the HEN (Fig. 4). Note that these results are obtained
with the assumption of constant Cp based on the optimal
temperatures; while HEN is synthesised based on the classi-
cal PDM (Smith, 2005; Linnhoff and Hindmarsh, 1983; Linnhoff
et al., 1982).
However, for cases with Cp dependent on temperature
which is a nonlinear manner, the temperature range will need
to be decomposed into intervals. Over each interval, Cp is
linearised. Thus, nonlinear Cp is represented by a piecewise
linear function (of multiple linear segments). This way, the
formulation presented in this work is still valid as each seg-
ment will be treated as a separate hot or cold stream. The
sum of these segments will then represent the original stream.
This concept is well established as data extraction principle in
pinch analysis techniques (see Smith (1995, 2005) for discus-
sion).
6. Conclusion
In this work, a revised floating pinch method for identify-
ing minimum hot and cold utilities for HEN with varying
flow rate and temperature is presented. The revised method
uses binary variables to parameterise the stream locations
on composite curves. It is based on the floating pinch
concept which was original developed for mass exchange
network. Two case studies are solved to illustrate the pro-
posed model. Based on the results, it is proven that the
model can handle situations with temperature-dependent
properties and varying operating parameters efficiently,
and yet locates the rigorous hot and cold utilities tar-
gets.
125
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